Canastota outplays foes at Laidlaw Tournament

As it does each December, the Canastota girls volleyball team welcomed many of the area’s top sides to its annual Laidlaw Tournament on Monday afternoon.

And just as it has done throughout this winter, the undefeated Raiders would finish on top, taking nine of 10 games in its round-robin division while Skaneateles claimed the other half of the tournament.

The 12 participating teams split into Maroon and Gold divisions. Canastota worked on the Maroon side, going 9-1, sweeping past four different foes before a final split with Vernon Verona Sherrill.

VVS, at 7-3, finished second in the pool, followed by Lowville (6-4), Camden (5-5), Old Forge (2-8) and Morrisville-Eaton (1-9). Rounds, Rinaldo, VVS teammates Sam Kegebein and Liz Bush and M-E’s Gabby Lake made the All-Tournament team.

Over in the Gold division, Skaneateles matched Canastota with a winning 9-1 mark. Only Chittenango, by a 25-21 margin, beat the Lakers during round-robin play.

The Bears did best among the local sides, with third place at 6-4 as it finished with fewer overall points than 6-4 Dolgeville. Oneida was fifth, at 3-7, in between Sauquoit Valley (4-6) and Adirondack (2-8).

From Chittenango, Brittney Tirabassi earned All-Tournament honors, while Clare Henry did the same for Oneida. Skaneateles’ Emily Wood took the MVP trophy.